13-Day Search for Missing Fisherman Shijin at Muthalapozhi Yields No Result

Thiruvananthapuram: The 13-day search for Shijin, who went missing in the Muthalapozhi accident, has yielded no result. Fishermen and local residents have now lost hope of finding Shijinu. On Wednesday, only a Coastal Police boat and a Marine Enforcement boat took part in the search. Divers could not conduct underwater inspections due to strong waves and currents. A similar situation occurred during the search for John Mathias, who went missing from Vizhinjam.

The failure to conduct a search during the first hours after the accident became a major obstacle to finding both men. The search for Shijin began only 15 hours after the incident following strong protests from his family. Days later, ministers Ramesh Chennithala and E V Abdul Gafoor visited Shijin’s house in an attempt to ease the family’s protest.

Shijin, a native of Anjuthengu, went missing after a boat capsized amid huge waves and strong winds at around 9 pm on Friday, July 31, at Muthalapozhi. They had gone to sea on a boat owned by Jose, a native of Puthenmannu Laksham Veedu. Shijin, Freemon, Smith and boat owner Jose had gone to the open sea for fishing around 3.30 pm on Friday. Only Jose and Smith, both from Anjuthengu, survived.

They were caught in the waves at around 9 pm while returning with their catch through the estuary entrance. Shijin and Freemon fell into the sea, while one of them managed to hold on to a rock near the estuary. As the sea was turbulent, they could not jump into the water to rescue them. Some people who were fishing from the shore heard their cries and tried to rescue them by throwing a long fishing rod, but both were swept away by the current and sank.

Jose and Smith held on to the overturned boat. Fishermen in a nearby boat rescued them by lifting the capsized vessel. Coastal Police personnel present at the site provided two lifebuoys and asked the fishermen themselves to carry out the rescue operation.

When fishermen approached the Coastal Police station and requested that a search be conducted, the police allegedly responded by saying, “What can we do?” The Coastal Police justified their position by saying they did not have lifeguards or rescue boats capable of conducting a search at sea.

The search began only 15 hours after the boat capsized. With government negligence continuing, the rescue operations being carried out by fishermen themselves, despite risking their own lives, remain the only source of hope for the families.